The present invention relates to combined haymaking machines for central tedding and lateral windrowing, comprising at least two rotary rake heads interconnected by means of a support chassis which is connected to a forwardly directed connection beam through the intermediary of a pivot which is connected to the said connection beam by means of a substantially vertical spindle and to the support chassis by means of a spindle which is substantially horizontal and substantially parallel to the said support chassis.
The transposition of such machines from the central tedding position into the lateral windrowing positon or vice versa necessitates a multitude of adjustments representing a significant loss of time for the user. In fact it is necessary especially:
to modify the orientation of the support chassis of the rotary rake heads in relation to the direction of travel of the machine, PA1 to orient the wheels carrying the rotary rake heads into the direction of travel of the machine, PA1 to reverse the direction of rotation of at least one of the rotary rake heads, PA1 to modify the position and/or the controlling of the working tools of the rotary rake heads, to modify the inclination of the rotation axes of the rotary rake heads in relation to the ground.
In view of the large number of these adjustments it can occur that one or more of them may be effected badly or only partially or even omitted, which would be detrimental to the quality of the work and could furthermore cause significant damage to the machines.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,369 a haymaking machine is described and claimed having an improved transposition device intended to remedy the above-stated drawbacks. For this purpose the said machine comprises especially means which automatically and simultaneously cause the rotation of the support chassis of the rotary rake heads about a substantially vertical axis in order to modify its orientation in relation to the direction of travel, when the inclination of the rotation axes of the rotary rake heads in relation to the ground is modified. This modification is effected by means of a control element which in that case is a threaded rod and the actuation of which causes the support chassis of the said rotary rake heads to turn about an axis parallel or coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the chassis. This arrangement however still necessitates the actuation of a control member, which can be the origin of poor adjustments.
The present invention aims especially at further simplifying and improving the transposition of combined haymaking machines as described in the introduction from the central tedding position into the lateral windrowing position and vice versa.